Revali coursed through the air with a blistering speed, making mincemeat of the vaporous air that bellowed from within the basin of Zorana as he overtook the seams of air currents as though his eyes were able to track such things. He had spent much of his morning atop the mountains of Zorana, seeking, perhaps, whatever views those peaks might offer him from the opposite side of Hyrule than he'd always known, but as he flew about, his eagle-eye caught a glimpse of Urbosa waving him down from his ascended position, forcing a scoff from him as he began his descent toward the King's chambers, slamming down into a skid as he joined the Gerudo amongst the faux ground of the land-dwelling populous.

"I'll have you know, I was enjoying the most pleasant time of this entire excursion," Revali complained, running his arms atop one another to smooth out his feathers, "What is so important that you had to call me down from my magnificent altitude?"

Urbosa, in no mood for such talk, merely frowned as she turned into the chamber, a slightly peeved Revali following along as he scoffed, "Ah, an audience with their King, I presume? Does this mean we're not to linger any further and we may advance this quest?"

Again failing to receive a reply, Revali's beak turned low in distaste as the two approached the interior of the throne room, with only Dorephan and the other Champions currently present. Zelda remained rather disjointed from the group as she sat to the side stroking her chin in thought as the conversation between Mipha and her father pressed on, Link and Daruk listening intently, though with little room to join in themselves.

"-what was I to do then?" Dorephan questioned as Revali came within earshot, "Such accusations. I was enraged, but I kept my temper about me; they're Niq. A cult of, ostensibly, kind people. How would it appear had I retaliated? All I could do was refuse to offer my seat atop the throne, but I hadn't a clue they'd return for such a performance. I wished they would simply leave after their bid to convince me failed- not that it took much."

Mipha's eyes narrowed, "So you never-"

Her father leaned forward atop his throne, a scathing voice tearing past his tongue, "No! And don't you ever presume that such a thought would ever cross my mind."

Falling back in his throne, Dorephan sighed, rubbing his face with exhaustion, leaving Mipha to drop her head after such a heated reply from her father. He ran fingers along his closed eyes, shaking his head as he calmed himself.

"I'm sorry, my daughter. You don't deserve my anger," he admitted with dread, "I loved your mother with every ounce of my being. That anyone would dare accuse me of anything less- It is infuriating. but that is not your intention."

"I understand," confirmed Mipha with a tender voice, her eyes making wayward glances down toward her feet, "I just don't know why such things would happen to begin with."

Nodding thoughtfully, Dorephan replied cooly, "I spent the last night with great unease, thinking over the very same things that you are. From what I surmise- and I do agree, it is rather unbelievable, I have considered this to be a rather lengthy conspiracy."

"Conspiracy?" Link questioned suddenly, "How do you figure?"

Dorephan shrugged, "They are Niq, or rather, they claim to be. From what I understand, from what my guard has relayed to me, they are using that fact with tremendous zeal, hoping to sway those among us who carry the same beliefs. Either they started this cult, or they're simply latching upon it because it serves them well, but regardless, that makes them even more dangerous."

"They are peaceful people…" Mipha softly answered in anguished voice, "It would not look good to make them an enemy…"

"No," Dorephan shook his head, "They must've known that from the start of this long-formed plot. Tovar managed a touch upon the crimson one's scar and said it was one that has taken a many great years to form. A military man such as he would know. This plan of theirs has taken much time to come to fruition, assuming that scar was formed simply to tarnish my reputation."

Urbosa, her arms crossed in reservation, muttered in review, "So they're cunning, what with using the Niq's reputation to their advantage, and may be dedicated- this plot has been forming for a long time, perhaps. What of the man's red scales?"

Reaching up to stroke his chin, Dorephan shook his head, "That, I haven't a clue. Such a thing comes only from royal blood, that is, from either myself, or my wife. My children are too young, and that man is too young to be by the former generation."

"How might it be from you, though?" Daruk wondered, "You haven't red scales yourself, with all due respect."

Shaking his head, Dorephan agreed, "You are correct, and had I been unclaimed by the woman taken to be my wife, there wouldn't be a question. We Zora, however- our royalty becomes shared between a pair. Much as my body swelled into the mighty being you see today, any product of myself and another would breed crimson scales. Something about our chemistry, I suppose; when I became bound to my wife, I became royalty myself."

Such a quandary of biology caught Link's attention as he turned his eyes to find Zelda in the corner, thinking and considering so deeply that such a topic failed to raise her curiosity. He watched her sitting there, huddled in place with a narrow stare as her mind churned in it's own quandary.

"So the scales could be from-" Urbosa wondered, but was quickly halted by Dorephan.

"They are not," he scorned with a hot breath, "Of that, you can be certain."

Urbosa averted her gaze, "Okay then… So they're painted somehow, some oddity amongst one in a million Zora, whatever- What's the motive?"

"The motive is to clear me from the throne," Dorephan answered plainly as if the question were worthless in the face of common sense.

Sighing, Urbosa dropped her shoulders, "No, the why? Why would they do this in the first place? If this plan had taken so long to carry out, why spend so much time? A personal grudge perhaps?"

"That I do not know," Dorephan quickly surmised, "Though I've never made it much of a habit to make enemies. Even if my days as a military whelp, I'm sure this Hylian will assure you, I commanded more respect from his people than hatred."

He turned to Link, who cocked his lips matter-of-factly. "I mean, he does speak the truth mostly."

"Then they're merely after the throne," Daruk answered, "But what exactly does that entail?"

Dorephan grumbled, "Not even that much. Not enough that I'd figure would be worth a smear campaign."

"We have a Council of Elders," Mipha reminded, "My father cant simply wield power the way prior generations of Kings might have."

"Again, the truth," Dorephan nodded before dropping his head defeatedly.

Sensing his diminishing resolve, Link pounded a fist into his palm, "Look, this is all moot to begin with. I don't much care why they're doing this, and frankly, whatever the cause, we cannot change it. The results, which they've now wrought upon this Domain- that is what we can alter."

Mipha bowed her head to hide her face, embarrassed as she was of the man she loved coming to her home's defense, nearly relieved by Urbosa's teasing voice, lined with insinuation as she smirked, "Well, boy; spoken like a true leader of the Royal Guard. But words are simply that. You must have actions to back that up."

"Well," Link muttered in reply, eying Urbosa sarcastically, "That's why I brought it up. We're all smart people, mostly; we can brainstorm some ideas."

Revali felt the feathers along his neck crinkle, turning his lips downward, "Why do I have the condescending feeling that such words were aimed at me?"

"Only because you presumed so, I assure you," Link sighed, returning to the King, "Why not lead some of your soldiers-"

"Out of the question," Dorephan concluded with a scowl, "I would rather give up my throne than turn a spear toward my brothers and sisters."

Link curled his lips, thinking of his late father along the plains of Akkala facing riots, "Not even to peacefully displace them?"

"No," Dorephan repeated, "They were aware that I would be remiss to combat a cult known for peace. They've check-mated me on that front, yet I'm aware there are moves I've simply failed to consider as of yet."

Link's eyes fell to the sleek floor beneath him, taking in a deep breath as King Dorephan gave an extending sigh of exasperation, "I was rather happy to hear my daughter had returned once those Niq had left. There are numerous chances that we Zora only think in ways that other peoples do not. Perhaps there may yet be an idea that will come, but-"

Frowning, the King sighed, "Mipha, my child. Would you be so kind as to fetch my pauldron over there?"

She nodded obediently as Dorephan continued, "This mess has me thinking extensively about your mother. She was always the smart one, I always think; it would be ruinous to imagine how deep I would be beneath the seas without her guidance and patience."

Mipha took the piece of armor meant for her father's shoulder, a piece she recognized quite well, even her memory flaring up in intensity as her father brooded aloud, "The suit she had crafted for me as a young man had long outgrown me, so- Even unto her dying day, she hoped to craft for me a set of armor to fit my current form."

He took the piece of ornately adorned armor, a wistful look upon his face as his eyes soured at the sight of it, "This was all that she could manage…"

Mipha reached out to press her hand against her father scaling skin, "I do not wish for these events to upset you, father."

"No, no," her father assured with a sigh, putting the piece of armor away, "The time for melancholy ended long ago. I'm a King, after all. My responsibility to the safety of my people remain at the forefront of my mind, even now."

He turned toward Link with a jovially friendly voice, "I only wish we had a plan in place this instant! I've long been a man of action; having a set goal would invigorate me!"

Link nearly wavered under the massive man's gaze, turning toward Daruk with inquiry as the Goron replied with a glare of his own, one of puerile confusion, "I mean, uh- The only thing I've come up with would be to snuff out their presence, but that, of course, has already been overruled."

He stroked the white hair at his chin, "But why would it have to be an assault upon the Niq in general? We all know they're newcomers, don't we?"

"True, Goron," Dorephan agreed, "But even so, I have already accepted their presence by proxy, simply by my inaction when the Niq cult first took root. So long as there remain brothers and sisters among us in this Domain, they may as well have a home here."

Such intricacies were broad and labyrinthine to Daruk's conceptions of society, which obviously came from his own Goron upbringing, and while he found such things intriguing, he hated to offer nothing to the discussion. He turned toward Urbosa, who also stood there in thought, and then Revali, who merely stood by the doorway with a look plastered upon his face that was teeming with revulsion at his being grounded for this.

Still, Revali leaned in close to Urbosa, his decorum still preventing him from outburst, as he whispered, "So… Is anybody going to speak of- well, the elephant in the room?"

Urbosa whipped her head around toward him with a pithy tone, "Dude. Feel the room, alright?"

Frowning, Revali returned to his previous stance before leaning against a nearby pillar, "I'm sorry; I thought we had a mission to-"

"We trick them," came a sudden, timid voice that fought with resilience for the attention of everybody present, the lot of them turning toward Zelda as she stood up.

Dorephan's eye's narrowed, "How do you mean, Hylian..?"

Crossing her arms, Zelda dropped her head toward her chest, "Why did they make a big hubbub in the middle of the Domain today? Because they do realize they have something to prove. Why don't we use that against them?"

Amidst a cacophony of silence, Zelda's eyes peeked up to find nothing but blank stares plastered atop her, forcing her lips to twist in frustration, "Look, despite their big show today, nobody can be so easily swayed, not even the Niq- perhaps especially the Niq who live here in the Domain. They've conjured up their own visions of who this crimson savior is supposed to be, after all, and that man- Dolare, was it?"

"It was, yes," Urbosa nodded with a bad taste upon her tongue, "Though that showman, Akis, seemed to be running the show."

Zelda went on, "That man still has to convince everybody of his, I suppose, divinity, correct? I mean, he's asking them to depose a King who's reigned for decades, right? They're gonna need some-"

Link caught on, feeling the sling over his shoulder weigh down as if the Master Sword were aware of its being addressed.

"-something to prove his worth?" Zelda smirked wryly enough as she motioned toward Link, "And do we not so happen to have a rather important indicator of such things as the divine?"

Mipha, Daruk, and Urbosa all spun toward Link, within whom a sudden swell of self-consciousness took over before Dorephan's eyes gave him a look-over, his deep voice releasing as a soft tremor in reverence, "That is what it appeared to be…"

Link took the hilt of the Master Sword into his hand, noticing the darkening expression upon Mipha's face as he did so, before pulling it free from its sheath for the King to examine with exaltation, "What a day I've lived to see. Even amongst us Zora, that Sword is a magnificent display of those who watch upon this world."

"So," Daruk surmised, "We offer them the sword, and when they hope to take it, they, presumably, will fail to do so, and that alone will discredit them?"

"If they refuse, they could simply defer to the fact that they're claiming the Zoran throne, not the throne of Hyrule Kingdom," Urbosa noted, "Though, I'd venture a guess that they're not completely stupid- I'm sure they've got such things considered."

Zelda raised her voice, a hint of mischievousness lining her voice, "That's where our trick comes in."

Impressed, Urbosa's brow raised with intrigue as Zelda went on, "Link, you've got your old sword with you as well, correct?"

Nodding, Link replied, "Back in my room, yes."

"So," Zelda gave a smarmy grin, "What if we were to fashion that sword to resemble the Master Sword? Urbosa knows metalworking, don't you?"

Her head cocked to the side, Urbosa gave an affirmative reply before Zelda went on, "Then, outside the view of anybody else, we secretly present Dolare with the opportunity to raise the fake sword, which, of course, he'll handle with no problem. Then later, with everybody present, he will be more than happy to accept our challenge, won't he?"

The looks of confusion upon everybody's faces slowly melted into ones of curiosity before becoming expressions of sincere interest, with Link asking quietly, the image of Mipha appearing within his mind, "What if he knows the Master Sword changes its mind about such things?"

Zelda smirked, "As the foremost authority on the Master Sword, I can assure you- Not within a single text, anywhere, has there ever been a reference to the Master Sword having such an ability. Why do you think I was so intrigued?"

"True," Link acknowledged.

With further assurance, Zelda finished, "Beyond mere hearsay, nobody within the Niq would be able to fancy a guess that grasping the Master Sword wouldn't be a continuous result."

"And that's how you create a false prophet," Urbosa concluded with a wry smile of her own, dropping her arms to her side as her fists rested atop her hips, "I like it."

"As do I!" Dorephan greeted with exuberant air, applauding Zelda's plan with a jovial tone, "You know, for one so quiet, you certainly have quite loud ideas!"

Caught between hubris and embarrassment, Zelda simply shrugged with a cool air, "It was nothing, really."

"Aren't we forgetting something?" Daruk suddenly wondered aloud, earning him the stares of the others, "…what if, you know- he does manage to take the Master Sword?"

An awkward air suddenly cast itself over the group like a massive net tossed atop the ocean's surface. Zelda's lip trembled, having not even considered that possibility though, now that it had presented itself, it gave her pause. They knew nothing of that man, Dolare- They knew nothing of anybody within that group.

"If that happens," Zelda quietly whispered in a voice that rang out only faintly amongst the group, "We're all but giving him, not only the Master Sword, but the Domain itself."

The unease amidst the group grew to a fever pitch, leaving any resolution to come from a rather unlikely source as Revali spoke up with a frustrated voice, "Well?! We haven't much else to go on, correct?!"

He threw a finger toward Dorephan, "You're a man of action, correct?! Then take it! What else have me thought up beyond the ramblings of a man without a brain?!"

Dorephan gave a prolonged hum before smiling, a laugh breaking through as his head fell back onto the back of his throne, "BWAH HA! You know Rito, your tongue is as sharp as your beak!"

He turned toward Zelda, "Hylian, you are, indeed, the foremost authority on the Master Sword, correct?"

Zelda's eyes widening in shock at being put on the spot, but she stammered an answer, "I, uh- I mean, anybody else who might be considered would be dead by now, so-…"

"Then, so long as it's in your care, I leave my Domain up to you," he acquiesced easily, earning him a sharp stare from Mipha that contrasted with Zelda's look of utter shock.

"F-Father!" Mipha shouted, "This-! I mean, truly, Zelda is my friend, but-! Your Domain!"

Raising his arms in surrender, Dorephan replied, "I must trust that only good can result from this. And, as you said, she is your friend, my daughter. I trust your judgement more than my own, oftentimes. You must have gotten that from your mother."

He threw his hand in the air, "Have at it, Princess Zelda! Though, if I do end up without a home, I trust there will always be a room within your castle?"

"I- uh- what- do-" Zelda stammered in continued flabbergast, requiring a tender embrace from Urbosa before beginning to calm down.

"She'd be honored, your majesty," Urbosa answered for her with a smile.

Dorephan then turned to Link, "I suppose, then, it's up to you, child."

Link felt his shoulders tighten beneath the weight he suddenly found there. Beneath the gaze of her father, he couldn't bear a glance toward Mipha, though he might have known what would have greeted him. That same, lost look from that night they shared with one another. But a chill escaped the back of his neck at the thought of Mipha, his destiny with the woman he loved so clouded by that Sword slung upon his shoulder.

If he just threw the Master Sword clear across Hyrule… Could that bind him to the one he loved instead of this thing that so hurt her.

He remembered his journal. The Master Sword was never in his plans.

Mipha was.

"…if," Link began, turning his head toward Mipha, "If Zelda-"

Tears welled up in Mipha's eyes. Her head shook with such subtlety that it might as well have been a shiver.

Link paused, turning toward Zelda, "If Zelda's involved… I trust her."

He raised the Sword toward her, "It's in her care."

Shuddering dramatically in Urbosa's arms, Zelda attempted to manage the massive responsibility now thrust upon her as Dorephan chuckled, "Now that's the look of a child coming into her own!"

He offered his gigantic fin, reaching out to pat Zelda's head, "You'll do fine, Princess. If we're so certain that these Niq mean trouble, then this mission has no chance to fail."

"T-True," Zelda managed.

"Keep me in the loop," Dorephan ordered, "I'm afraid I'll be of little help, but I'll do what I can. It's in the hands of- What was that word, daughter?"

Mipha's gaze had remained fixed upon Link until her father's voice broke her concentration, her reply coming without preparations, "Word- Oh. Ch- Champions."

"Ah, such a promising name," Dorephan acknowledged as if attempting to match the word with the people before him, "Well, Champions, you'd best prove yourselves. Mipha said you were all the best Hyrule had to offer. I can't think of anyone better to rest my hopes upon."

He waved for them to exit, which they began to do so, albeit with Zelda receiving some help from Urbosa as she attempted to regain feeling within her legs. Link turned to leave as well, though was stopped by a sudden grasp at his arm, turning to find Mipha clutching him with a terrified look upon her face.

"Link-" she muttered, nearly in a whimper, "Don't-"

He shook his head, "If this sword knew I would toss it away, would it have chosen me?"

Recalling the night before, Mipha dropped her head, speaking softly, "Don't…throw away your destiny."

Still in the presence of her father, Link remained unable to hold her as he so desperately wished at that moment. To alleviate her worries- it was his duty, he surmised, as the one she loved. All he could do at that moment was reach his hand up, resting it atop her own which remained at his arm. His fingers curled between her fingers, squeezing as best he could, finding that pleasantly smooth skin where her scales failed to reach.

"I don't need this to have a destiny," he confirmed, "All I need is you."

Still concerned, Mipha recognized their proximity to her father as well, allowing her hand to slide away before the two slowly began to follow the others outside. Who was she, she thought, to steal away this man from such greatness that followed that sword?

She was nothing. Even the sword itself knew that. She was nothing more than a Princess, unable to bring anything upon her family beyond the shame so inexorably exuded from her mother before she passed.

And it so pained her.